Strip club plan for former Leeds champagne bar

A former champagne bar is set to make a comeback on to the Leeds party scene – as a strip club.

Len's Bar, on York Place, closed last year but the building's owners have applied to re-open as a strip tease, pole dancing and lap dancing venue.

Leeds City Council said the owners had applied for a variation to its original entertainment licence.

Len Cohen, licensee of Len's Bar, does not own the building and told the YEP he had "absolutely nothing" to do with the new venue.

But the move has caused outrage among anti-nudity campaigners, including members of the Leeds branch of Object. There are already nine lap dancing clubs in Leeds – and campaigner Rosie Robinson Boardman said there was "no need" for another one.

She said: "We have found that many people in Leeds believe the nine lap dancing clubs we have in our city is more than enough.

"The rights of women in Leeds to access local services are being failed by the Licensing Authority's choice to support lap dance and strip tease.

"Leeds City Council has a duty to support the different needs of men and women in the city.

"But by granting licences to clubs offering adult entertainment involving female exploitation, you are privileging the rights of one gender over another, by licensing venues that have proven detrimental effects on the well-being of women and girls."

Coun Mohammed Iqbal (Lab; City and Hunslet) added: "These clubs are degrading. These clubs are springing up everywhere and Leeds already has too many of them. Leeds City Council should put a stop to it."

The new application follows the proposed opening of a 1m lap dancing superclub, which was due to open on Millennium Square last year.

According to public records, the application was made by Bradbury Executive Trust under the care of Pearson, Jones and Co Ltd.

Pearson, Jones and Co refused to comment when approached by the Yorkshire Evening Post.

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